John Mark Hicks Patternism, Division and Grace
Jeremiah.6.ask.for.the.old.paths.html
John Mark Hicks Sowing Discord:
Lipscomb was willing to forebear with congregation after
congregation that disagreed with him on the
missionary society and instrumental music. He spent most of his
life in forebearance. He was one of the last to adopt a
separatistic stance toward the Disciples of Christ (Christian
Church). It was, in many ways, a thirty-plus year trek. He
recognized it by 1897, declared it so in 1907, and lamented
it for the rest of his life.
A
church that requires disobedience to God
to maintain peace in it is already an apostate church;
it has rejected God as it only Ruler.
htp://www.pineycom.com/Stone.Campbell.Burnett.html
The 'union' itself was consummated on New
Year's day, 1832, in Hill Street Christian Church, at
Lexington, Kentucky, where representatives of both parties
pledged themselves 'to one another before God, to abandon
all speculation, especially on the Trinity, and kindred
subjects, and to be content with the plain declaration of
Scripture on those subjects on which there had been so much
worse than useless controversy.'
The plain
meaning is that they found common ground to occupy, threw
away their divisive teachings and opinions, and acted as
one. The men who at Lexington pledged themselves there and
then gave one another the hand of fellowship,
speaking
for themselves, and the churches they came
from,
but not for all the churches or the denominations
in Kentucky or the United States.
There was
no voting, and no attempt at formal union, but merely a
'flowing together' of those like-minded. In token of that
union Elder John Smith, of the Disciples of Christ, and
Elder John Rogers, of the Christians, 'were appointed
evangelists by the churches' to promote that simple
unsectarian Christian work, which was adhered to by
thousands; and Stone took Elder J. T. Johnson, a Disciple,
as co-editor of The Christian Messenger.
"This
'union' did not change the status of any name or church or
minister or piece of property.
At a later time Campbell made some public invidious
remarks about
the Christians, and it began to be claimed that they had
joined or united with the Disciples. John [7] Rogers
says on this point:
'No one
ever thought (at the first) that the Reformers, so-called,
had come over to us, or that we had gone over to them;
that they were required to relinquish their opinions, or
we ours.
We found
ourselves contending for the same great principles, and we
we
resolved to unite our energies to harmonize the church and
save the world. Such are the simple facts in the case."
In The
Christian Messenger for November, 1834, is quoted
an article from the Millennial Harbinger (Campbell's
paper) as follows:
"Or does
he (Stone) think that one or two individuals, of and
for themselves, should propose and effect a
formal union among the hundred of
congregations scattered over this
continent, called Christians or Disciples, without calling upon
the different congregations to express an opinion or a
wish upon the subject?
We
discover, or think we discover, a squinting at [14]
some sort of precedency or priority in the claims of the
writer of the above article," etc.
It is well
known that Mr. Campbell insisted upon immersion before
believers were received into fellowship, to which Stone
answered:
"We
cannot, with our present views, unite on the opinions that unimmersed
persons cannot receive remission of sins."
And though later on he came to believe in immersion in water
for the remission of sins, there is no evidence that he ever
made it a test of fellowship, without which he could not have been a member
of the Disciples of Christ.
Forebear: to
control oneself when provoked: be patient forbore with his
friend's failings. forbear. noun. I lament it
also. However, no Bible Student could fail to grasp that
instruments which make "noise" were deliberately
antithetical to the READING and meditating on God's Word.
Named instruments are always connected with BURNING.
Is. 23:15 And it shall come to pass in that day,
that Tyre shall be
forgotten seventy years, [Jerusalem also]
according to the days of
one king:
after the end of seventy
years shall Tyre sing as an harlot.
HOW DOES A HARLOT SING: from h 7891 and
7891
7788. shuwr, shoor; a
primitive root; properly, to turn, i.e. travel about (as a harlot
or a merchant):—go, singular See also 7891.
Is. 23:16 Take an [1]
harp, go about the city, thou harlot that hast been
forgotten;
make sweet melody [2], sing many [1] songs, that
thou mayest be remembered.
h5059.nagan, naw-gan´;
a primitive root; properly, to thrum, i.e. beat a tune with
the fingers;
h5060. nagaꜥ, naw-gah´; a primitive root; properly, to
touch, i.e. lay the hand upon (for any purpose; euphem., to
lie with a woman); by implication, to reach (figuratively,
to arrive, acquire); violently, to strike (punish, defeat,
destroy, etc.):
These melody words never mean "musical melody". Psallo
speaks of vile people and vile actions.
Acts
7:41 And they made a calf in those days,
and offered sacrifice unto the idol,
and rejoiced in the works of their own hands
Acts 7:42 Then God turned,
and gave them up to worship the
HOST of heaven;
as it is written in the book of the prophets,
O ye house of Israel, have ye offered to me slain
beasts and sacrifices
by the space of forty years in the wilderness?
And his breath [SPIRIT], as rushing water in a valley, reach reach as far
as the neck, and be divided, to confound the nations for their vain error; error also shall pursue them
and overtake
them. Isaiah
30:28 LXX
Must ye always rejoice, and go into my holy places continually, as
they that keep a
feast? and
must ye go with a pipe, as those that rejoice into the mountain of the
Lord, to the God of Israel Isaiah 30:29 LXX
For by the voice of the Lord
the Assyrians shall be overcome, even by the stroke where with he shall smite them.
Isaiah 30:31 LXX
And it shall happen to him
from every side, that they from whom their hope of assistance
was, in which he trusted, themselves shall war against him in turn with drums and with harp. Isaiah 30:32 LXX
For thou shalt be required
before thy time: has it been prepared
for thee also to reign? nay, God has prepared for thee a deep trench, wood piled fire and much wood: the wrath of the Lord shall be as a trench kindled with sulphur. Isaiah 30:33 LXX
"We may understand a
thing as spoken generally, even when it requires a certain
special interpretation to be given to it. For some things
spoken with a special reference contain in them general
truth.
When God admonishes the
Isrealites of their duty, or sharply reproves them,
He has surely a
reference to all men;
when He threatens destruction to
Egypt and Ethiopia,
He surely
pre-condemns every sinning nation, whatever.
If, reasoning from species
to genus, every nation that sins
against them is an Egypt and Ethiopia; so also, reasoning
from genus
to species, with reference to the origin of shows,
every show is an assembly of the wicked.
Trying to make peace with gross apostasy is not forbearing it.
He had no other choice. Before imposing Instrumental Apostasy,
it was easy to visit many groups including the Baptists.
However, there was no DENOMINATION among Churches of Christ as
it existed among those churches promoted by the Christian
Standard who sold all of the books including demanded sunday school material led by a
sunday school board independant of the elders.
WE ALL LAMENT IT BUT LIPSCOMB MARKED THE GREAT APOSTASY AND
NOT HIS OWN ACTIONS!
J.E. Choate notes that: David Lipscomb, E. G.
Sewell worked for the Gospel Advocate to earn a living [Paul's Pattern] and
preached for the Woodland Street Church in Nashville.
He received little for his preaching. A new building was
constructed in 1880 and Sewell was asked to preach
there longer and devote more time.
The
Infiltrate-and-Divert Pattern is to get the new building
going. Being Cast out of your own synagogue is NOT causing
division. After the Civil war, packed carpet bags caused
people to move into the south and confiscate property.
"From the North, where the Society system was deeply
imbedded in the churches, people moved into Nashville and
many filled the Woodland Street church. By the end of 1882,
a woman from Kentucky asked Sewell about
forming an auxiliary society to the Christian
Woman's Board of Missions.
Sewell objected, and gave his reasons.
But as always, when a
group in a congregation wants something, and the preacher
stands in their way, there is only one thing to do: dismiss the preacher.
Sewell was ousted and at the beginning of 1883,
W. J. Loos, son of C. L. Loos, president of the Foreign
Society, was hired. In the
fall of that year young Loos attended the annual convention
at Cincinatti, telling them with some embarassment
that he was ashamed to admit he was from Tennessee for the
churches of his state were doing nothing."
When he returned, Sewell refuted
the false charges about Tennessee churches. Loos was check-mated and
was replaced later by R. M. Giddens who "fanned the flames of Societyism."
Matt. 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto
them, saying,
All power is given unto me
in heaven and in earth.
Matt. 28:19 GO ye therefore, and TEACH all nations,
baptizing them in the name
[singular] of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Ghost:
Matt. 28:20 TEACHING them to OBSERVE all things
whatsoever I HAVE COMMANDED YOU:
and, lo, I am with you
alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Acts
15:21 For Moses of old time hath in every
city [never in the temple]
them
that PREACH
him,
being READ in the
synagogues every sabbath day.
John Mark Hicks
Sowing Discord: At another level, the division
was necessary–according to Lipscomb–
because the
“innovations” disrupted the harmony of the
church as a whole,
split many
congregations, and evidenced a lack of love for the minority,
usually the weak and
powerless, within a congregation.
THERE WAS NO
DIVISION! WHEN PEOPLE STEAL YOUR CONGREGATION OR UNIVERSITY
YOU ARE "CAST OUT OF YOUR OWN SYNAGOGUE."
Being
Bible-Literate, Lipscomb and others being cast out of their
own property objected because it violated the purpose and
descrip;tion of the Assembly of Christ as being a SCHOOL of
the Word. Churches of Christ deserted their property
but never changed their Scriptural singular pattern.
Post
Civil War: history: In
1890 the first convention was called at Chattanooga
to organize the state society. The only churches in the state of Tennessee
were those who had already
adopted the organ in their worship. The Christian
Standard pumped up the news
and "it is reported that the brethren in Nashville,
Tennessee are desirous of entertaining our National Convention next
year." This of course was
just two congregations.
A survey showed that out of 2500 members in
Nashville, less than one hundred wanted the society.
Lipscomb noted that among the
Society people "the Bible is as popular as last year's
almanac."
"The supporters of the missionary society organized the Tennessee State
Missionary Convention on October 6, 1890, with
one purpose in mind, as stated by J. H. Garrison. He said at that time: "We will take Tennessee for organized mission work...within five years."
A. I. Myhr was dispatched to Tennessee to
head the new state society despite the protestation of
David Lipscomb that Tennessee was not a destitute mission territory.
Myhr and his supporters moved resolutely ahead to accomplish
their mission. "Their efforts met with some success
and the intent
was clear. Myhr was aggressive and abrasive in his
operations. His actions were of such a nature, in promoting
the missionary society, that he came under the direct attack
of E. G. Sewel and David Lipscomb. And as later event
proved, Myhr was no match for Lipscomb and the Gospel
Advocate.
John Mark Hicks Sowing Discord:
In other words, his problem with the innovators was
more basic than the innovation itself.
He could bear with
the innovation in love–and could even preach in
congregations that used it–
but he could not bear
with the unloving actions of the innovators toward the
powerless.
That is logically false: He would not have worried about the
strife if he didn't oppose the INNOVATION.
synonyms:
change, alteration, revolution, upheaval, transformation,
metamorphosis, reorganization, restructuring, rearrangement,
recasting, remodeling, renovation, restyling, variation, new
measures, new methods, new devices, novelty, newness,
unconventionality, modernization, modernism, a break with
tradition, a shift of emphasis, a departure, a change of
direction, a shake up, a shakedown, transmogrification
THIS SPIRIT-REVEALED INNOVATION IS ATTRIBUTED TO APOLLYON FROM
MOUNT SINAI ONWARD.
APOLLO, APOLLON, APOLLYON OR ABADDON WAS BROUGHT AS AN
ABOMINATION FROM EGYPT. Jerusalem was taken over to
WORSHIP THE STARRY HOST. Then and now this is the MARK that God
has been there and will never pass by again [Amos 8, Revelation
18] and the musicians callled SORCERERS will be or are being CAST ALIVE INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE.
John Mark Hicks only Christ-restricted
pattern is to flood the church with denying all of the
historic practices of A School of Christ which has no clergy
nor funding.
|
Genesis
3.1 sed et serpens erat callidior cunctis animantibus terrae quae fecerat Dominus Deus qui dixit ad mulierem cur praecepit vobis Deus ut non comederetis de omni ligno paradisi
h5175 nâchâsh
naw-khawsh' From H5172 ; a snake (from its
hiss):—serpent.
H5172 nâchash naw-khash' A primitive root; properly
to hiss, that is, whisper a (magic) spell; generally
to prognosticate:— X certainly, divine, enchanter,
(use) X enchantment, learn by experience, X
indeed, diligently observe.
Serpo , of things, to
move slowly or imperceptibly,
to creep along, proceed gradually,
Of disease, etc.: “si ulcus latius atque altius serpit,” gradually
spreads, “serpentes quasdam (bestias), quasdam esse gradientes,” “chamaeleon,
Fire: “exsistit sacer ignis et urit corpore serpens,” slowly
spreading, canam, qui leniter
(cf.: “sermones Repentes per humum,”A creeping LOUSE
Canam,
exsistit
sacer
ignis et
urit
corpore
serpens,”
slowly spreading fire, bring to destruction,
reduce to ruin, destroy
incentor , , I.one
who sets the tune or begins to sing, a
precentor, singer (post-class.).
II. Trop., an inciter, exciter: “igneus turbarum,”
“civilis
belli,”
Oros. 5, 19: “rebellionis
totius
magistris
“ludo magistra esse,” school-MISTRESS,
instructress, “artes magistrae,
Agmĕna
crowded into a compact mass, Of a snake
winding onwards Eap. of a company of persons, a
multitude, troop, crowd, number,
band
1. An army, troop, band,
multitude: clāmor —Of
things, noise, sound, din căvus , “tibia,”
id. 2, 620:
“bucina
= A. A war-trumpet b.
= inanis, vain, empty: “gloria,
Tībĭa , a pipe,
flute (orig. made of bone; curva
choros
indixit
tibia
Bacchi,”
“modulate
canentes
tibiae,
Bestĭa , 2.
As a term of reproach (cf. belua and our beast): “mala
tu
es
bestia,”
Plaut. Bacch. 1, 1,
21; id. Poen. 5, 5, 13.—And,
humorously, of the odor of the armpits (cf. ala and
caper GOAT), Cat. 69, 8.—
căno , cĕcĭni,
cantum (ancient I.imp. cante = canite,
“once
canituri,”
Vulg. Apoc. 8, 13
to utter melodious notes, to sing,
sound, play.
tibicen
“cithara,”
crowing of a cock: “galli
victi
silere
solent,
canere
victores,”
to crow,
to practice magic, to charm,
Galli is a word for a Catamite: priest of the Mother
Godesses.
"Kenite" is a rendition of Hebrew According to Gesenius,
the name is derived from the name Cain
(קַיִן Qayin).[5]
According to A. H. Sayce,
the name `Kenite', Qéní, is identical an Aramaic word
meaning `a smith', which in its turn is a cognate of Hebrew Quayin,
with the meaning `a lance'. |
While not endorsing them, Lipscomb could visit or preach
"His" views in many groups who did not, then, use Instrumental
Worship. Lipscomb was aware that there is not command, example
or inference of anyone said to worship the Lord-God by
preaching, listening, singing, playing instruments, acting or
PAY TO PLAY.
John Mark Hicks Sowing Discord:
The strife they created and how they treated the
powerless were more fatal than the innovation itself
because it evidenced a spirit of arrogance, power and
willfulness.
The innovation is
defined as the BEAST who is worshipped by any RITUALS to
keep from falling on their face.
http://www.pineycom.com/David.Lipscomb.Instruments.of.Music.in.Service.God.html
[14] Alexander Campbell refused to speak when one was
used. They have come into use as Christians have lost
their zeal and devotion and fidelity to the appointments
of God, as parties do as they grow numerous, and have
sought to be
popular and fashionable and have catered to the
fleshly and sensuous tastes and feelings of the world. It
cannot be otherwise than sinful to use them, as they
constitute no part of the worship of God.
Organs were in use
before this in the theaters. They were never regarded with
favor in the Eastern church and were vehemently opposed in
the Western churches. In Scotland no organ is allowed to
this day , except in a few Episcopal churches. In the
English convocation held A.D. 1562, in Queen Elizabeth's
time, for settling the liturgy, the retaining of ogans
was carried only by A casting vote ." " The early reformers,
when they came out of Rome, removed them as monuments of
idolatry. Luther called the organ an 'ensign of Baal; '
Calvin said that instrumental music was not fitter to be
adopted into the Christian church than the incense and the
candlestick; Knox calied the organ a ' kist [chest] of
whistles.' The Church of England used th em, a gain st a
very strong protest
It
seems there cannot be a doubt but that the use of
instrumental music in connection with the worship of God,
whether used as a part of the worship or as an
attractive accompaniment is unauthorized
by God and violates the oft-repeated prohibition to add
nothing to, take nothing from, the commandments of the
Lord.
It destroys the difference between the clean
and the unclean, the holy and the unholy, counts the
blood of the Son of God unclean, and tramples under
foot the authority of the Son of God.
A Christian loyal and true to the Lord Jesus Christ
cannot do this, nor in any way countenance the setting aside
the order of God by adding to or taking from his
appointments, even in the smallest matters, as washing of
hands, while forbearance and love should be exercised in
showing them the error of the way.
When
the church determines to introduce a service
not required by God,
he who believes it wrong
is compelled to refuse in any way
to countenance
or affiliate with the wrong.
To
do so is to commit a double sin. It is to sin against God and their
own consciences and to encourage by example others to violate
their consciences and the law of God; it is to lower the
standard of regard for right. It
is generally insisted that the peace of the congregation should
not be disturbed by as small a matter as the use of
instruments.
The
test of a congregation of Christ is: It recognizes God as
the only Lawgiver. It serves
God alone. When it consciously
changes the smallest appointment of God, it dethrones
God as the only Lawmaker and ceases to be a church of
God. The test of personal
discipleship to God is:
That in all
matters in which God has given order we will do what God
commands, adding nothing thereto, taking nothing
therefrom.
To add as simple and harmless a thing as the washing
the hands as religious service before eating destroys
discipleship to Christ. (Matt.
15: 5-15).
“Whosoever therefore shall break one of
these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall
be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever
shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in
the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt.
5: 19.) “He that is faithful in
a very little is faithful also in much: and he that is
unrighteous in a very little is unrighteous also in much.” (Luke 16: 10, R. V.)
Our fidelity to God is tested as easily in little
things as in great ones; rather, nothing is little where
God’s authority is at stake. Witness
the sin of our first parents. Paul
kept a good conscience in all things; so God honored him and
chose him to be the great apostle to the Gentiles.
Sometimes when a part of a church insists
on and adopts the wrong,
had I not better
yield than to create division in the church?
A
church that requires disobedience to God to
maintain peace in it is already an apostate church;
it has rejected God as it only Ruler.
While
forbearance and love should be exercised in seeking to show
them the right and persuading them to do it, it is sinful
to so affiliate with them as to encourage and build up a
church that is going wrong.
It is a greater sin for those who know it is wrong
who yield to and go with those in the wrong than for those
who think it right, because those who know it wrong sin
against light and knowledge.
The greater sinners in every
congregation that departs from God’s order in these
things are those who know the wrongs, yet remain with and
build up the congregations that practice the wrongs. “That servant, which knew his
lord’s will, and made not ready, nor did according to his
will, shall be beaten with many stripes; but he that knew
not, and did things worth of stripes, shall be beaten with
few stripes.” (Luke 12: 47, 48,
R. V.) There can be no doubt
that those who cling to the church and build it up, knowing
that it is maintaining practices contrary to the word of
God, are worse sinners before God than those who introduce
them believing they are right.
Often our lifelong friends and associates
are in the church, our children and grandchildren are there,
our brothers and sisters.
Shall
I leave them or remain with them?
To leave them is to bear our testimony
to them for the truth and to warn them there is danger
and ruin in departing from the law of God;
to
go with them is to affiliate with and build
up the wrong and to encourage them in the
way that leads to ruin; to depart from the order
of God
to go with
them is to love friends, father, mother, brothers, and
sisters more than God. “He
that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of
me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not
worthy of me.” (Matt. 10: 37.)
“If
any man cometh unto me, and hateth not his own father, and
mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters,
yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.” These mean that a man must be
willing to separate from and give up all to be true to
Christ. True love to these
friends and ourselves demands the same course.
There is no real kindness in going with them in wrong
courses and encouraging them in setting aside the law of
God; it only helps them forward to ruin.
Love is the fulfilling of the law.
True love to every creature in the universe is
perfected and manifested in doing the will of God. That is love to God, and love to
God is love, the only true love, to every being in the
universe of God; and be sure God is not pleased when his
children violate his law to preserve standing in and harmony
with a church setting aside his order.
Then my faith is that it is the duty of
those who believe a church sets aside the order of God to
strive to correct that wrong, to be patient and forbearing
in it; and if they fail in this, to withdraw and at once
go actively to work to form a true church and observe the
true service of God. If
they quit work because some have gone wrong, they will die
and the cause of truth will perish in their midst. Go to work to maintain the truth
of God and to induce others to accept it, and God will bless
you.
“I call heaven and earth to witness
against you this day, that I have set before thee life and
death, the blessing and the curse; therefore
choose life, that thou mayest live, thou and thy seed; to
love the Lord they God, to obey his voice, and to cleave
unto him: for he is thy life.” (Deut.
30: 19, 20, R. V.) D.L.
David Lipscomb is
supported by Alexander Hislop
1. The worship of the Christian Church has not been
left to be determined by the mere
judgments and imaginations of
men. There are principles laid down, there are precepts given,
there are examples recorded, which show the mind and will of
Christ in this matter; and the statements of Paul, in regard
to " will-worship " (Col. 2:18-23),
decisively prove that those
who violate the purity of Christian worship,
are not only those who introduce practices
which God has forbidden,
but those who
introduce what God has not authorised, or commanded.
There can be no meaning attached to the term, " will -worship,"
but that such "worship" rests, not on the "will" of God, but
on the mere "will" or fancy
of man.
Now, in opposition to the divine enunciation in regard to
"will-worship," the Church of England has admitted into its articles this principle,
that it belongs to "the
Church," of
her own authority, to " decree rites and
ceremonies " (Article XX).
As a matter of
historical fact, this principle was never agreed to by
the Convocation that
adopted the Thirty-nine Articles; this sentence being found neither in the
first-printed edition of the Articles, nor in the draft
of them that passed the Convocation, and which is still
in existence, with the autograph signatures of the
members; but is believed to have been surreptitiously
inserted by the hand of
Queen Elizabeth herself, who had much of the overbearing
spirit of her father, Henry VIII., and who, as Head of
the Church, which the English Constitution made her, was determined to have a pompous worship in that church, under her ecclesiastical control. [1]
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